The influence of Rhizophagus irregularis arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on Echinacea purpurea root biomass and bioactive compounds

Martin IAKAB; Erzsébet DOMOKOS; Csilla ALBERT; Erzsébet BUTA; Zsolt ILONKA; Francisc V. DULF

doi:10.15835/nbha53414711

Authors

Martin IAKAB 1) University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Engineering and Environmental Protection, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, Cluj-Napoca, 400372; 2) Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Faculty of Technical and Human Sciences Târgu Mureș, Department of Horticulture, 2 Calea Sighișoarei Street, Târgu Mureș, 540485 (RO) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1167-4791
Erzsébet DOMOKOS Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Faculty of Technical and Human Sciences Târgu Mureș, Department of Horticulture, 2 Calea Sighișoarei Street, Târgu Mureș, 540485 (RO) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0736-5243
Csilla ALBERT Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Faculty of Economics, Socio-Human Sciences and Engineering, Department of Food Science, 1Piaţa Libertăţii Street, Miercurea Ciuc, 530104 (RO) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6882-6691
Erzsébet BUTA University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Horticulture and Business in Rural Development, Department of Horticulture and Landscaping, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, Cluj-Napoca, 400372 (RO)
Zsolt ILONKA Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, Faculty of Technical and Human Sciences Târgu Mureș, Department of Horticulture, 2 Calea Sighișoarei Street, Târgu Mureș, 540485 (RO) https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2200-3421
Francisc V. DULF University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Engineering and Environmental Protection, 3-5 Mănăștur Street, Cluj-Napoca, 400372 (RO) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1669-6888

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha53414711

Keywords:

GC-MS, mycorrhizae, phenolic constituents, plant-fungus interactions, volatile profile

Abstract

Echinacea purpurea is a widely used medicinal plant valued for its bioactive constituents; however, cultivation presents several challenges (poor and imbalanced germination, slow initial development). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), especially Rhizophagus irregularis, are known to influence plant growth and metabolite accumulation, yet limited multi-year field data exist. This is the first study that evaluates the effect of R. irregularis inoculation on root biomass, phenolic acid content, essential oil yield and its composition in two-year-old E. purpurea under greenhouse (four substrate types) and open-field conditions. Chicoric acid was the predominant phenolic in all samples. Significant substrate- and environment-dependent effects were found for other compounds: AMF-treated plants showed increased caftaric (2.87-fold) and caffeic (2.15-fold) acid levels on sterile peat and elevated cynarin (2.13-fold) under field conditions, but decreased caffeic acid (3.39-fold) and echinacoside (1.98-fold) on gleyic calcaric Fluvisol. On stagnic Luvisol and gleyic calcaric Fluvisol, treated plants showed a higher proportion of oxygenated sesquiterpenes in oil composition, while controls contained fatty acids along with sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. A negative correlation was found between AMF colonization rate and both phenolic content and essential oil yield under open-field conditions. The results suggest that the effects of R. irregularis are strongly influenced by substrate type and environmental conditions, indicating the need for further research.

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